Battery carrier

ABSTRACT

Apparatus to aid manipulation of automotive batteries of the type having a rim around the top; a lever action apparatus with a short arm pivotally joined to a long arm to span the top of the battery, the short arm having an offset handle disposed above and adjacent to the long arm, each arm having at its outer end a shank reaching downward to the end faces of the battery, each shank having an inwardly facing clutch attached by a hinge, permitting rotation of the clutches to positions against the end faces of the battery, each clutch having an upper straight edge for engaging the lower margin of the rim of the battery. In use the apparatus is held by the handle in one hand of the operator, with fingers extended to the long arm to control the opening of the clutches to accommodate the length of the battery. Once the clutches are positioned against the rims, a lifting force applied at the handle results in a clutching force between the clutches of the apparatus and the battery is secure in the apparatus, to be carried by the handle in the hand of the operator. The considerable area of the clutches distributes the clutching force harmlessly over the battery end faces. To discharge a battery from the apparatus, the long arm is urged toward the handle, overcoming the clutching force, triggering the tripping of the clutches from their positions against the rims, and freeing the apparatus from the battery. A characteristic facile action of the apparatus in manipulating batteries is related to the hinged mounting of the clutches, wherein the trigger sensitivity is determined by the position of the hinge axes with respect to the upper straight edges of the clutches.

United States Patent [191 Fredrickson [11] 3,820,837 1 June 28, 1974 BATTERY CARRIER [75] Inventor: Douglas E. Fredrickson, Elko, Minn.

[73] Assignee: Modelko Tool Company, Elko,

Minn.

[22] Filed: Aug. 27, 1973 [21] Appl. No.2 392,014

805,780 11/1905 Cary et al. 294/62 1,041,949 10/1912 Bandemer 294/62 2,778,668 1/1957 Tomek et a1... 294/16 2,794,669 6/l957 Schardinger... 294/118 X 3,436,1 12 4/1969 Pasquine 294/62 Primary Examiner-Richard A. Schacher Assistant Examiner-Johnny D. Cherry Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Frederick A. Fleming 5 7 ABSTRACT Apparatus to aid manipulation of automotive batteries of the type having a rim around the top; a lever action apparatus with a short arm pivotallyv joined to a long arm to span the top of the battery, the short arm having an offset handle disposed above and adjacent to the long arm, each arm having at its outer end a shank reaching downward to the end faces of the battery, each shank having an inwardly facing clutch attached by a hinge, permitting rotation of the clutches to positions against the end faces of the battery, each clutch having an upper straight edge for engaging the lower margin of the rim of the battery. In use the apparatus is held by the handle in one hand of the operator, with fingers extended to the long arm to control the opening of the clutches to accommodate the length of the battery. Once the clutches are positioned against the rims, a lifting force applied at the handle results in a clutching force between the clutches of the apparatus and the battery is secure in the apparatus, to be carried by the handle in the hand of the operatonThe considerable area of the clutches distributes the clutching force harmlessly over the battery end faces. To discharge a battery from the apparatus, the long arm is urged toward the handle, overcoming the clutching force, triggering the tripping of the clutches from their positions against the rims, and freeing the apparatus from the battery. A characteristic facile action of the apparatus in manipulating batteries is related to the hinged mounting of the clutches, wherein the trigger sensitivity is determined by the position of the hinge axes with respect to the upper straight edges of the clutches.

1 Claim, 4 Drawing Figures 1 BATTERY CARRIER BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention This invention relates directly to the art of carrying and handling individual automotive batteries by means of an apparatus. More generally, this invention relates to the art of carrying solid objects having two parallel open faces, such as any rectangular solid object.

2. Description of the Prior Art The apparatus of my invention shows a general resemblance to tongs type apparatus of ancient origin, including the familiar ice tongs for manipulating block ice and the brick tongs for manipulating an ordered number of building bricks.

In the automotive battery trade, a battery carrier which has gained limited acceptance is one that may be called a terminal post sling, a flexible insulating strap having a sheet metal ring fixed at each end. In use, the rings are placed over the terminal posts of the battery; on lifting the strap the metal rings bite into the relatively soft metal terminal posts, achieving a temporary attachment that supports the weight of the battery. But in using the terminal post sling it is sometimes necessary to use the hands to disengage the metal rings from the terminal posts, risking injury to the operator by contact with battery acid. The terminal post sling tends to cut the terminal posts, particularly the soft lead terminal post, distorting the posts and leading to misfit of the battery cable connector lug and corrosion. Occasionally, the terminal posts are uprooted by the powerful forces operating through the sling. The terminal post sling provides level carry for the obsolescent six volt batteries which have diametrically arranged terminal posts, but the popular twelve volt batteries have terminal posts arranged on one side of the battery, leading to tipped carry (because the center of gravity of the battery locates under the sling) and tending to spill acid from the battery. These problems are avoided by the use of my invention.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Objects of my invention are: to provide an apparatus to facilitate the handling of individual automotive batteries; to provide an extension of the hand to permit the grasping, lifting and carrying of batteries using only one hand placed on a handle that is readily attachable, conveniently positioned and quickly detachable; to provide a battery carrier which permits the operator to convey the considerable weight of the battery at a close-in position .with respect to his bodys skeletal framework, minimizing the mechanical forces on his body and reducing the possibility of back strain and rupture; to provide a safe battery carrier which avoids direct contact of the battery with the operator or his fixed above, each arm formed and dimensioned so that the two arms span the long dimension of a large battery, each arm having a shank to reach the end faces,

each shank being provided with a hingedly attached clutch. Carried by the handle in the grip of one hand of the operator, the apparatus is positioned over the ends of the battery, the arms sufficiently extended to accommodate the battery, using the fingers of that hand to control the rotation of the long arm on the pivot and thereby determine the span between the clutches. Each clutch is hinged at a point above its own center of gravity and therefore the pair of clutches always hang at a convenient angle to receive a battery into clutches of the apparatus. The apparatus is draped over the battery. Releasing the fingers controlling the long arm permits the clutches to come into position on the end faces of the battery. A lift force applied by the operator to the handle of the apparatus results in a component of force from clutch to clutch, rotating and closing the clutches securely on the end faces of the battery. The top edges of the clutches engage any rim on the end faces of the battery, gaining purchase for the lift. An inherent lever action strengthens the clutching force. The battery carrier of my invention may be proportioned to accommodate a selection of the popular sizes of automotive batteries from 6 to 14 inches long. The apparatus is secure on the battery so long as the battery is being carried by the handle and therefore exerting a load-actuated clutching force within the clutches of the apparatus. The clutching force may exceed the weight of the battery itself but injury to the battery case is avoided by .use of clutches having working faces of significant area, to distribute the force over a significant area. When a battery suspended in the apparatus is then set down on a surface, the load actuated clutching force is released. Detachment of the apparatus from the battery may be accommplished by drawing the long arm to the handle through a short arc, which clothing; to provide a battery carrier which permits liftresults in tripping of the clutch associated with the long arm, followed immediately by the tripping of the clutch of the short arm and the apparatus is free in the hand of the operator.

My invention has many advantages over hand carrying or carrying with the aid of the terminal post sling. Use of my carrier will not injure the battery or the terminal posts of the battery. My carrier is applicable tov batteries having damaged or missing terminal posts. My carrier may be safely applied to batteries new and old, 6 volt or 12 volt, sound or damaged, with reduced risk of personal injury due to contact with the acid electrolyte. My battery carrier may be proportioned to accommodate the great majority .of popular size automotive batteries, and although it is generally applicable only to batteries having a rim or similar ridge, flange or flashing around the top perimeter of the battery, this does not negate utility, since the preponderance of batteries do have that feature.

My battery carrier fills an unmet need for a fastacting carrier, an apparatus that easily engages the battery and is easily disengaged. My battery carrier may be manufactured from readily available materials and common hardware.

The use of my battery carrier will ease the labor and strain of many persons in the commerce of batteries, workmen in the factory, delivery men, salesmen, service station attendants, automotive parts clerks, stockboys, returndesk clerks, salvage pick up men and persons who reclaim lead from spent batteries.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating the battery carrier with a battery in carry position.

FIG. 2 is an elevational view showingthebattery carrier positioned on a battery of maximum size within its capacity.

FIG. 3 is an elevational view showing the battery carrier as held in the hand of an operator for positioning the carrier over the ends of a medium size automobile battery.

FIG. 4 is an elevational view showing the attitude of the carrier during removal from the battery and at the moment when the clutch associated with the long arm is tripped from the rim of the battery.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 1. Introduction The battery carrier, generally designated 1 (FIGS. 1-4) is an apparatus to aid an operator in handling (i.e., in clutching, lifting, carrying, and depositing) automotive type batteries, generally designated 4, of the kind wherein the battery case (a rectangular solid object) features a rim (i.e., a ledge, ridge, flange, flashing, boss, or the like) which overhangs the top edges of the battery, such as the rim 17 on the battery 4 and which rim affords a lower margin 13. The rim 17 is essential to the satisfactory performance of my battery carrier, and while the majority of batteries have such a rim, a small fraction of the batteries in the market do not. My battery carrier is not generally applicable to such rimless batteries.

2. Structural Description The relative positions of the parts of the apparatus change when the battery carrier is used with batteries of different size, and for that reason the following structural description is given with reference to the parts as they stand in association with the large battery 4b, the largest battery that the given apparatus will accommodate (FIG. 2.).

A short arm 2,an elongate structural member, is positioned horizontally and is joined at its right end to the left end of a long arm 3, an elongate structural member, by a pivot 5 having an axis at right angles to the length of the arms and parallel with the floor, thereby limiting the relative motion of the arms to rotation in a single vertical plane which I will refer to as the principal plane. When the two arms are rotated at 180 of arc and the assembly is placed just above a large battery 4b from end to end (FIG. 2) the combined length of the arms reaches slightly beyond both ends of the battery. A handle 6 is fixedly connected to the short arm 2 and extends upwards a hands width and then to the right, passes over the pivot 5 and downward to the right, passes beyond a vertical through the center of gravity 16 of the large battery 4b and terminates in a free end lying adjacent to the long arm 3. A left shank 7, an elongate structural member of length less' than one half the height of the largest battery 4b, is vertically disposed with its upper end fixedly connected to the left end of the short arm 2 and its lower end adjacent to the left end face'of the large battery 4b. A left clutch 9, a flat structural member typically of oblong shape and area equal to a significant fraction of the area of the 4 end face of the battery 4b, has a flat working face directed to the right against the left end of the large battery 4b; a straight upper edge 19 of significant length compared with the length of the upper margin of the end face of the large battery 4b which lies in juxtaposition with the lowermargin 13 of the rim 17 of the large battery 4b; and an idle face directed to the left and rotatably joined to the lower end of the left shank 7 by a left hinge 11 whose hinge axis lies at right angles to the principal plane. The left hinge 11 is fixedly connected on the right hand to the idle face of the left clutch 9 at a position between the upper straight edge 19 above and the center of gravity 15 of the left hinge below (FIG. 3), and arranged to cause the upper straight edge 19 to lie parallel with the axis of the left hinge 11.

Similarly, a right shank 8, an elongate member of length equal to the left shank 7, is vertically disposed, with its upper end fixedly connected to the right end of the long arm 3 and its lower end adjacent to the right end of the large battery 4b. The long arm 3 and the right shank 8 lie in the principal plane or a closely adja-' cent parallel plane. A right clutch 10, similar to the left clutch 9, has a flat working face directed to the left against the right end of the large battery 4b; a straight upper edge 18 which lies in juxtaposition with the lower margin 13 of the rim 17; and an idle face directed to the right and rotatably joined to the end of the right shank 8 by a right hinge 12 whose axis. lies at right angles to the principal plane. The hinge 12 is fixedly attached on the left hand to the idle face of the right clutch 10 at a position between the upper straight edge 20 and the center of gravity 14 of the right clutch 10, which position is similar to that of the companion elements on the left end of the battery.

As a subassembly, the handle 6, the short arm 2 and the left shank 7 may be called the lever arm. Similarly, as a subassembly, the long arm 3 and the right shank 8 may be called the connecting rod.

The underlying function of the lever arm and the connecting rod is to provide a rigid connection between the pivot and the respective hinges, left and right. The path that those members take between those points must accommodate the large battery 4b but it does not necessarily have to take the exact form illustrated here in words and drawings. No purpose would be served by illustrating additional forms of the lever arm and connecting rod, since the number of forms is infinite. Similarly, it is of no importance exactly where on the short arm 2 the handle 6 has its point of connection, provided that the handle passes upward to provide clearance for the operators hand and continue over and beyond the pivot 5 to a position vertically superior to the center of gravity 16 of the object large battery 4b (FIG. 2). Only considerations of economy in the use of materials requires that the apparatus take the form that has been illustrated.

3. Functional Description The next section of this description explains how the apparatus is used and how the parts work together as a concerted whole.

To position the apparatus on the battery for carrying, the operator will grasp the handle 6 and long arm 3 within one hand, with the handle above. The shanks 7, 8 and the clutches 9, 10 will hang downward. By controlling the position of the long arm 3 to the handle 6 within the hand, the operator will adjust the span between the clutches 9, 10 to accommodate the object battery, large or small, and as shown in FIG. 3, he will drape the apparatus over the battery endwise so that the principal plane of the apparatus stands in the longitudinal midline of the battery. Lowering the apparatus, the upper straight edges 18, 19 of the clutches 10, 9 will ride underneath the rims 17 of the battery and lie against the battery end faces. The operator will then release his hold on the long arm 3, supporting the apparatus by the handle alone and permitting the clutches to close on the end faces of the battery under the moments of the lever arm and connecting rod around the pivot. The operator will then raise the apparatus by the handle 6, causing the clutches 9, to skid upwardly on the ends of the battery until the upper straight edges 19, 18 encounter the lower margins 13 of the battery rim 17. At that time, further elevation of the apparatus is resisted by the weight of the battery, which is now in the clutches of the apparatus.

To carry the battery, once it is positioned as above, the operator will apply sufficient lift force at the handle 6 to overcome the weight of the battery. Once the battery is suspended in the apparatus, the operator will adjust his hold on the handle 6 so that the battery is sensibly level.

The battery may be gently delivered to its new location and eased into position. Lowering the apparatus and battery, the operator will feel the weight of the battery vanish as it is supported by. the new surface. Yet

the apparatus still tends to be retained on the battery,

for it is properly positioned for carrying.

To remove the apparatus from the battery, the operator must disengage the clutches from their positions under the lower margins 13 of the battery rim 17. The apparatus may be slid off to the side, sliding under the the battery rim 17 or, more conveniently, the apparatus may be tripped" off, by slightly opening the clutches by gripping the long arm 3 to the handle 6 and then lifting upward. Opening the span between the clutches destroys the stability of the clutch positions, permitting the clutches to rotate away from the battery end faces under the impetus of the lifting force. Once the right clutch 10 is disengaged, the left clutch 9 disengages immediately thereafter and the apparatus is free in the hand of the operator.

To drop a battery that is suspended in the apparatus, the operator will alter his grip on the handle 6 to include the long arm 3 and he will then draw the long arm 3 and handle together in his grip. This action overcomes the clutching actions which are inherent in the apparatus and triggers the disengagement of the clutches from their positions against the margins of the rims by a tripping action (see FIG. 4), and the apparatus is free in the hand of the operator. v

If one uses the apparatus on a series of batteries of successively decreasing lengths, he finds that the handle 6 and long arm 3 become separated by an increasing span and that for batteries below a minimum size it is no longer possible to simultaneously grasp the long arm 3 and the handle 6. To release the apparatus from such batteries, a different procedure must be used: The operator will depress the handle and move it toward the left at the same time. That action will free the left clutch from the left end of the battery, initiating the release of the right clutch immediately thereafter. The battery falls under the influence of gravity during the initial moment at a speed that is easily outpaced by the hand of the operator who is intent on freeing the apparatus from the battery. Similarly, it is possible to pitch a battery that is suspended in the apparatus, by a sweeping underhand motion and a quick forward thrust at the release point.

Secure attachment of the apparatus to a battery requires that the weight of the battery continually bear down onthe clutches, and it is important to maintain the battery in a near level attitude in order to preserve a stable configuration of the clutches. The considerable weight of the battery and its pendant status in the apparatus makes it difficult to depart from the level carry attitude, so that the requirement is not a difficult one to meet. If an operator had great strength in his wrist he might rotate the battery by'turning the handle upward at the right or upward at the left and as he did so a position would be reached at which the uppermost clutch would trip and cause the battery to fall out of the apparatus. In actual practice this is not a problem, and the use of the apparatus for carrying batteries is as foolproof as the use of a bucket for carrying water.

4. Detailed Description of Several Features of the Apparatus The two arms (the short arm 2 and the long arm 3) of the apparatus are unequal in length to gain a lever action increment to the clutching force that retains the battery in the clutches. But the'short arm 2 must be of sufficient length with respect to the long arm 3 so that it will cooperate with the long arm 3 to clutch the small batteries that are popular in the market today. The use of two unequal arms also leads to the fortunate opportunity to position the handle 6 in favorable disposition both with respect to the long arm 3, for controlling the span of the clutches, and with respect to the center of gravity of the battery, large or small, that it has within its clutches, for level carry.

The function of the clutch working face is to distribute the clutching force over a significant fraction of the battery end face, thereby avoiding pressure rupture or point penetration of the battery case.

It may be said of both the left clutch 9 and the right clutch 10 that the upper edge of the clutch is essentially straight and lies at rightangles with the principal plane.

The function of the upper straight edge is to support the weight of the battery. The length of the upper straight edge is a significant fraction of the length of the rim at the end face, to distribute the weight of the battery over a significant length of the rim and to minimize local stresses which might fracture the rim.

One of the reasons why the clutches are mounted on the shanks by means of hinges is to enable the clutch working faces to rotate into conforming juxtaposition with the end faces of batteries of all sizes within the capacity of the apparatus.

The axes of the hinges are located above the center of gravity of the clutch as a whole so that the working faces of the clutches willhang at a favorable angle (FIG. 3) under theforce of gravity, for placing the apparatus over the ends of a battery. The angle of the clutch working face is the same whether the span is large or small. Of course, when the apparatus is placed upon a battery, the clutches rotate on the hinges from the angled positions to take parallel positions against the ends of the battery.

If the clutch rotates away from the end face 'of the battery, it is said to have tripped. Tripping is an important operating characteristic of the apparatus. Susceptability to tripping is related to the stability ratio, the ratio of the vertical distance from the hinge axis to the upper straight edge of the clutch to the horizontal distance from the hinge axis to the working face, the measurements made on the clutch in the vertical position as in FIG. 2. The larger the stability ratio, the more stable the position of the clutch against rotation.

5. Practical Construction As illustrated, the handle 6, the short arm 2 and the left shank 7 (i.e., the lever arm) may be fabricated from one continuous piece of structural rod or structural tubing by imparting appropriate bends corresponding to the points of fixed connection which we discussed in the second section of this description, but as implied in that description, the individual elements may be assembled by welding, riveting, fastening with machine screws or other means for fixedly connecting them.

Similarly, the long arm 3 and the right shank 8 (i.e., the

connecting rod) may be one continuous piece of structural rod or structural tubing or it may be two pieces assembled by appropriate means.

The pivot may be of any construction consistent with achieving the rotation of the two arms around a common structural axis. The pivot illustrated is comprised of a piece of strap metal formed to saddle the right end of the short arm and fixed at the base of the handle 6, with short stirrups 21 extending beyond the short arm 2, with aligned apertures in each stirrup to receive a right angle stub bend formed on the left end of the long arm 3, and a keeper (cotter key, Tinnerman nut, friction cap, etc.) to retain the stub in the apertures.

The hinges 11 and 12 may be of any construction that achieves the rotatable attachment of the clutches to the shanks on a well defined structural axis having a fixed distance from the center of the axis to theworking face of the clutch and a fixed distance from the center of the axis to the upper straight edge of the clutch. The drawings (FIG. 1) illustrate a hinge having a block 22 joined fixedly to the idle surface of the clutch and an aperture in that block to receive a right angled stub bend formed on the end of the shank, with a keeper to retain the stub in the aperture.

The apparatus may be constructed from inch diameter steel rod. The handle may be formed with an 8 inchportion at right angles to a 4 inch portion, the 4 inch portion arising vertically in the principal plane and at 60 of arc to the short arm. The long arm may be inches and the short arm 5 inches in length. The shanks may be 3V2 inches. The clutches may be made of 43 inch steel, 2 inch by 4 inch rectangles. The hinges may be attached to the clutches with the hinge axis 1 inch from the upper straight edge and one half inch removed from the working face.

6. Mechanical Characteristics of the Apparatus When a battery is suspended in the apparatus, the forces acting on the hinge axes may always be resolved into vertical forces and horizontal (clutching) forces. When the battery is suspended in a level attitude, the vertical forces on each hinge equal one half the weight of the battery. The horizontal (clutching) forces are directed toward the opposite hinge and are equal and opposite. The magnitude of the vertical forces is independent of the lever system that suspends the battery, but the magnitude of the horizontal (clutching) force depends on the relative lengths of the long arm and the short arm. An appreciable horizontal (clutching) force exists if the arms are of equal length, but the force is strongly dependent on the angle subtended at the pivot by the two arms, with the result that the small batteries have inferior clutching force relative to their weight. Using unequal arms, my apparatus superimposes a lever action in the system which has the beneficial effect of tending to maintain a high horizontal (clutching) force (relative to the weight of the battery) which is less affected by the angle subtended at the pivot. The reason for this improvement is related to the fact that the lever system has a higher mechanical advantage in the range of small batteries than it does for large batteries. To understand why the mechanical advantage changes, we must identify the virtual lever, a line drawn from the left hinge 11 through the pivot 5 to a point of intersection with a vertical line drawn through the center of gravity of the battery. The output arm of the virtual arm, i.e., the distance from the hinge to the pivot, remains constant in length, but the input arm, i.e., the distance from the pivot to the point of intersection withthe vertical, is longer for a smaller battery. In the accompanying table, the calculated horizontal (clutching) force is given for equal arm and lever arm apparatuses. The dimensions of the model used in this example are those given in the last paragraph of section 5 of this description.

A clutch working face has freedom to rotate on its upper straight edge (under the rim margin 13) as an (imaginary) axis. Whether it tends to rotate against the end of the battery (stable position) or away from the end of the battery (unstable position) depends on the algebraic sum of the moments around that (imaginary) axis by the forces acting on the clutch. The moment tending to rotate the clutch against the side of the battery is the horizontal (clutching) force times a moment arm equal to the vertical distance from the upper straight edge to the hinge axis. The moment tending to rotate the clutch away from the side of the battery is one half the weight of the battery times a moment arm equal to the horizontal distance from the upper straight edge to the hinge axis.

The stability ratio of a clutch-hinge configuration may be defined as the ratio of the vertical distance from hinge axis to uppermost straight edge to the horizontal distance from the hinge axis to the working face. Thus if a given clutch-hinge configuration has a stability ratio of LOO/0.25, the clutch is stable in its position against the battery provided that the clutching force is at least one fourth of the vertical force. It is desirable to have a considerable margin of safety inthe selection of the stability ratio, to assure that the clutch will not trip due to some transient force on the apparatus. On the other hand, it is not desirable to use a stability ratio which interferes with the desired release and tripping action at the command of the operator, as described in section tioned uppermost and at right angles to the principal plane;

a left hinge, having an axis perpendicular to the Battery Data Clutching Force (pounds) prlncipal plane, connecting the lower end of the Equal left shank to the idle face of the left clutch at a 14 28 28.3 31.4 position on the idle face between the uppermost :3 is 13-; a? straight edge and the center of gravity of the 11 22 11:8 l5:5 h; a right clutch, similar to the left clutch, but having 3 {2 g g 3-3 10 a working face directed to the left and an idle 7 14 33 1 face directed to the right; 6 l2 a right hinge, similar to the left hinge, with an axis perpendicular to the principal plane, connecting I the lower end of the right shank to the idle face I claim: of the right clutch at a position on the idle face 1. An apparatus to aid an operator for manually clutching, lifting, carrying and depositing or releasing automotive batteries of the type which are constructed with a rim disposed around the top perimeter of the battery, 20

comprising the combination of the following meintermediate the uppermost straight edge and the center of gravity of the right clutch;

wherein for each hinge and its associated clutch the ratio of the vertical distance from the hinge axis to the uppermost straight edge to the horizontal distance from the hinge axis to the chanical elements, described here as they stand in functional relationship with the largest battery that the apparatus is designed to accommodate:

a short arm, an elongate structural member having a right end and a left end;

a long arm, an elongate structural member of length one to three times the length of the short arm, having a right end and a left end;

a pivot, rotatably joining the right end of the short arm to the left end of the long arm and limiting the travel of the arms to a principal plane, which principal plane in the remaining recitation will be held coincident with the vertical plane which intersects the longitudinal midline of the object battery; 2 wherein the total length of the short arm, the

pivot and the long arm, as horizontally and symmetrically disposed above the longitudinal midline of the largest battery, is sufficiently long to span and protrude slightly beyond both ends of that battery;

a handle, lying in the principal plane, connected fixedly to the short arm, extending first upwardly to the right for a distance to give clearance to the hand and then downwardly to the right, passing over the pivot, passing over the center of gravity of the large battery and terminating in a free end adjacent to the long arm;

a left shank, an elongate structural member of length less than one half the height of the large battery, with an upper end and a lower end, connected fixedly at its upper end to the left end of the short arm and extending downwardly in the principal plane at substantially a right angle from the horizontal;

a right shank, an elongate structural member of clutch working face is a value between 1.0 and 10;

wherein the elements are so constructed and arwhereby:

the apparatus, free from any battery, when held in the operators hand by the handle and the long arm, takes a position under the influence of gravity with the handle uppermost, the clutches arranged substantially symmetrically below with the working faces of the clutches opposed and inclined downwardly, providing a wider span between the lower ends of the clutches and a narrower span between the upper straight edges of the clutches, favorably disposing the apparatus to receive a battery within the span of the clutches when the operator drapes the apparatus over the ends of the battery;

the span between the left and right clutches may be controlled by the position of the long arm with respect to the handle, to accommodate large and small batteries;

the straight uppermost edges of the clutches are disposed to engage the lower margins of the rims of a battery, large or small, forwhich the apparatus is adapted, to initiate the mechanical action of the apparatus in clutching a battery by lever action;

the clutching force of the apparatus on the battery case is harmlessly distributed over the working faces of the clutches;

the lifting force of the apparatus on the battery rims is harmlessly distributed over the upper straight edges of the clutches;

a battery, positioned within the clutches is securely held by the apparatus so long as a substantially constant and regular lift force is applied at the from the apparatus. 

1. An apparatus to aid an operator for manually clutching, lifting, carrying and depositing or releasing automotive batteries of the type which are constructed with a rim disposed around the top perimeter of the battery, comprising the combination of the following mechanical elements, described here as they stand in functional relationship with the largest battery that the apparatus is designed to accommodate: a short arm, an elongate structural member having a right end and a left end; a long arm, an elongate structural member of length one to three times the length of the short arm, having a right end and a left end; a pivot, rotatably joining the right end of the short arm to the left end of the long arm and limiting the travel of the arms to a principal plane, which principal plane in the remaining recitation will be held coincident with the vertical plane which intersects the longitudinal midline of the object battery; wherein the total length of the short arm, the pivot and the long arm, as horizontally and symmetrically disposed above the longitudinal midline of the largest battery, is sufficiently long to span and protrude slightly beyond both ends of that battery; a handle, lying in the principal plane, connected fixedly to the short arm, extending first upwardly to the right for a distance to give clearance to the hand and then downwardly to the right, passing over the pivot, passing over the center of gravity of the large battery anD terminating in a free end adjacent to the long arm; a left shank, an elongate structural member of length less than one half the height of the large battery, with an upper end and a lower end, connected fixedly at its upper end to the left end of the short arm and extending downwardly in the principal plane at substantially a right angle from the horizontal; a right shank, an elongate structural member of length equal to the left shank, with an upper end and a lower end, connected fixedly at its upper end to the right end of the long arm and extending downwardly in the principal plane at substantially a right angle from the horizontal; a left clutch, having a flat working face with an area equal to a significant fraction of the area of the end face of the large battery, the working face directed to the right, an idle face directed to the left, and a straight edge on the perimeter positioned uppermost and at right angles to the principal plane; a left hinge, having an axis perpendicular to the principal plane, connecting the lower end of the left shank to the idle face of the left clutch at a position on the idle face between the uppermost straight edge and the center of gravity of the clutch; a right clutch, similar to the left clutch, but having a working face directed to the left and an idle face directed to the right; a right hinge, similar to the left hinge, with an axis perpendicular to the principal plane, connecting the lower end of the right shank to the idle face of the right clutch at a position on the idle face intermediate the uppermost straight edge and the center of gravity of the right clutch; wherein for each hinge and its associated clutch the ratio of the vertical distance from the hinge axis to the uppermost straight edge to the horizontal distance from the hinge axis to the clutch working face is a value between 1.0 and 10; wherein the elements are so constructed and arranged that the operator may grasp the handle and the long arm with one hand; whereby: the apparatus, free from any battery, when held in the operator''s hand by the handle and the long arm, takes a position under the influence of gravity with the handle uppermost, the clutches arranged substantially symmetrically below with the working faces of the clutches opposed and inclined downwardly, providing a wider span between the lower ends of the clutches and a narrower span between the upper straight edges of the clutches, favorably disposing the apparatus to receive a battery within the span of the clutches when the operator drapes the apparatus over the ends of the battery; the span between the left and right clutches may be controlled by the position of the long arm with respect to the handle, to accommodate large and small batteries; the straight uppermost edges of the clutches are disposed to engage the lower margins of the rims of a battery, large or small, for which the apparatus is adapted, to initiate the mechanical action of the apparatus in clutching a battery by lever action; the clutching force of the apparatus on the battery case is harmlessly distributed over the working faces of the clutches; the lifting force of the apparatus on the battery rims is harmlessly distributed over the upper straight edges of the clutches; a battery, positioned within the clutches is securely held by the apparatus so long as a substantially constant and regular lift force is applied at the handle; but if the apparatus is idly positioned upon a battery, or is positioned upon and supporting a battery, the deliberate application by the operator of a force tending to rotate the long arm toward the handle will trigger the tripping of the clutches by rotation on the hinges, disengaging the clutches from their positions and releasing the battery from the apparatus. 